Suction cleaner



march 19, 1935. E. w. WI HLE 1,995,084

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fQ-e 5/2 I p 65 x SUCTION CLEANER Filed Decl 15. 1 3 a Sheets-Sheet a Patented Mar. 19, 1935 UNITED STATE s. PATENT OFFICE SUCTION CLEANER Edward W. Wiehle, Chicago, 11]., assignor to Birtman Electric Company, a corporation of Illinois Application December 15 10 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in suction cleaners and method of operating the same and, more especially, to the supporting and adjusting means for the. nozzle of such a cleaner.

, 1933, Serial No. 702,576

The invention is applicable to a cleaner having a carriage provided with one or more traction members, said carriage having the nozzle supported thereon.

. In a cleaner of this-type it is necessary or desirable to adjust the nozzle vertically with respect tothe carriage depending upon the thickness, character. and type of surface being cleaned. Heretofore, cleaners have been made in which such adjustment has been effected manually. In my invention the nozzle is self-adjusting or automatically adjustable.

In my improved cleaner the carriage is provided with yieldable means for supporting the nozzle, so that the nozzle is free to move upwardly or downwardly and adjust itself to the requisite height. Means are-also provided for substantially counteracting the gravitational forces act.-

ing on said nozzleand tending to. pull it downwardly so that with a conventional type of nozzle and a normal suction, the nozzle will not be pulled down too tightagainst the surface being cleaned. It has been found that if the nozzle is free to move vertically but allowed to rest on the surface being cleaned with its own weight and the weight of its associated parts, it is likely in some cases to be pulled downagainst such surface too tight by the normal suction, especiallyif a nozzle of the conventional typeis used. It is one of the features of my invention, therefore, to provide means for substantially counteracting or balancing the gravitational forces acting on said nozzle and tending to pull it downwardly. By this means I am able to provide a self-adjusting nozzle which is pulled down to or held at the desired operating height by the suction or vacuum, and one which will not be pulled down too tightly.

For counteracting such gravitational forces in the embodiment of -my invention, I provide springs, counterweights, or the like, which operate uniformly and continuously and are not dependent upon the operation of any bellows, motor, or the like, and are not dependent upon the'degree of vacuum in the nozzle.

Other featuresand advantages of my invention will appear more fully as I proceed with my specification.

A cleaner embodying my invention may be made in a variety of forms and for the purpose of disclosing the same, I have shown eight different Figure 1 is aview inside elevation, partly insection; and Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of one form of cleaner. Likewise, Figs. 3 and 4; Figs. 5

and 6; Figs. 7 and 8; and Figs. 9 and 10 illustrate four other constructions. Figs. 11 and 12 indicate a sixth construction; Figs. 13 and 14 indicate a seventh construction; and Figs.1-5 and 16 indicate an eighth construction.

The device of Figs. 1 and 2 In this device, 10 indicates a horizontal motor casing, 11 the usual fan casing, 12 the nozzle and 13, a motor-driven brush in the nozzle. A carriage or chassis 14 is. provided which is supported on the two front wheels 15, 15 and the two rear wheels 16, 16.

In accordance with usual practice, the motor casing, fan casing and nozzle are made to form a single unit. Yieldable means are provided forsupporting the nozzle on the carriage. As here' shown, such means includes a hinge 17 at the rear end of the carriage, one member 17' of which/is attached to the bottom of the motor casing 10.- -By.this hinged support the nozzle 12 is free to move upwardly and downwardly. Since the support is at the rear of the carriage, the nozzle in its upward and downward movement will swing on an arc having a relatively long radius. Because of this construction, therefore, the mouth or bot-' tom 12* of the nozzle in swinging upwardly and downwardly will remain substantially parallel to the surface being cleaned. Since the support for the nozzle is at the extreme rear of the carriage, it will be seen that gravitational forces acting onthe nozzle, the motor casing and the fan casing will tend to pull the nozzle downwardly. To counteract these, I have provided at the front of the carriage a pair of spiral springs 18, 18 exerting an upward force. I

The vertical range of movement of the nozzle, for example, may extend from the lower broken line a to the upper broken line c. The springs 18, 18 are preferably of such length and tension that throughout this range of movement they will always exert an upward'force on the nozzle to substantially counteract the gravitational forces tending to pull it downwardly. The parts may be r so adjusted and proportioned that the nozzle will normally remain somewhere between the lines a and c, for example, at the line b.

In the operation of the cleaner, if it is used on a surface where the nozzle should operate somewhere between the lines a and b, the suction when applied will pull it down to the desired height. The springs 18; however, will prevent there being too tight contact. In the event that it is used on a surface somewhat higher than the The lower ends of the springs 18 rest on vertically adjustable seats 19 'so that the tension of such springs may be adjusted.

The device of Figs. 3 and 4 In this device there is again provided a carriage or chassis 114 carried on the front wheels 115 and rear wheels 116. I have here shown a vertical motor casing 110 on top of a fan casing 111 communicating with the nozzle 112.

As here shown, thesupport for the nozzle is effected by means of the vertical members 117 having their upper ends attached to the fan casing and their lower ends pivotally attached at 118 to the side members of the carriage 114. In this case the pivotal attachment is not at the rear of the carriage but rather close to the front wheels. This places a considerable amount of the weight OI: the motor with its casing and the fan casing back of the pivotal support. This provides a counterbalance or counterweight for the nozzle 112. If necessary, there may be provided an'additional slidable counterweight 119 on the rod,120 extending rearwardly from the fan casing. By this construction! am able'to counterwelghtor counterbalance the nozzle so that it may be substantially balanced at the lines a or c or somewhere therebetween. That is, the gravitational forces acting on said nozzle and tending to pull it downwardlyare substantially balanced by the weights of the parts of the cleaner and/or the weight 119 back of the pivot P ints 118.

- In the operation of the device; therefore, the nozzle is free to move vertically between the lines a and 0 so that it will automatically adjust itself to the desired operating height and since the gravitational forces acting on said nozzle and tending to pull it downwardly are counteracted, as above described, the suction will not pull its .mouth or undersurface 112 down too tightly against the surface upon which it is operating,

150 indicates a member at the rear of the cleaner provided with a slot '151 embracing a pin 152 on the carriage to limit the vertical.

movement of the nozzle.

The device of Figures 5 and 6 is provided at thepivot points 218. Instead of providing a counterweight 119, however, I provide a downwardly pulling spiral spring 219 at weight in front exceeds the weight behind so that gravitational forces tend to pull the nozzle 212 downwardly. The downwardly pulling spring 219 counteracts these sufllciently to substantially balance the 'nozzle between the line a and c.

The device of Figures 7 and 8 In this form of cleaner, instead of providing a pivotal support for the nozzle on the carriage,

I support the same on a plurality of springs. Consequently, the nozzle in moving upwardly and downwardly need not operate on an are but to permit such movements of the nozzle, the entire motor casing and fan casing may move upwardly and downwardly bodily with the nozzle.

By this construction, therefore, the bottom 312 of the nozzle in its vertical movements may remain substantially horizontal or parallel with the surface being cleaned.

In this construction the carriage is indicated by.314 and the same is supported on two front wheels 315 and two rear wheels 316. The motor casing 310 with thefan casing 311 and nozzle 312 are supported on the two forward springs 318 and the single rear spring 319. The forward springs 318 have such characteristics that they substantially counteract the gravitational forces tending to pull the nozzle, downwardly and thus substantially balance the nozzle at all points in its vertical range of movement from the lines a to c. The spring 319 may have such characteristics that thelower face 312 of the nozzle will remain substantially horizontal in its vertical movement.

' The device of Figures 9 and 10 indicated by 410, the fan casing by 411 and the nozzle by 412. The front springs 418 operate in the same manner as the springs 318 above described and serve to balance the bottom 412- of the nozzle substantially between the lines a and c. Vertical adJustment of the nozzle'is therefore permitted and the springs 418 acting against. the gravitational forces tending to pull the nozzle downwardly prevent the suction from pulling it too tightly against the surface beingcleaned.

The device of Figs. 11 and 12 As here shown, the carriage on which the nozzle is supported includes primarily only the axle 51'? carrying the front wheels -515, 515. The back wheels 516, 516 are attached directly to the fan casing. At each side of each of the front wheels the axle 517 carries a disc 519 adapted to move vertically in a cylinder 520. Above the disc 519 is a spring 518. The axle 51'? passes through slots 521 in the cylinders 520. By means of this constructionthe nozzle 512 is free to move upwa'rdly and downwardly and the springs 518 have such characteristics that they substantially counteract the gravitational. forces tending to pull the nozzle downwardly and thus substantially balance the nozzle at'all points in its vertical range of movement from the lines a to c.-

The springs 518 may have such characteristics that the lower face 512 of the nozzle will normally be suspended substantially at the line b.

The device of Figs. 13 and 14 As here shown, the nozzle 612 is made quite' light and may be considered in a sense as a sub nozzle which is connected to the forward part of the casing by the flexible fabric 650. This nozzle 612 carries plates 651 which carry the pull exerted by the running belt 653 acts uniformly to substantially counteract the gravitational forces acting on the nozzle 612. By means of this construction, the nozzle 612 is free .to move upwardly and downwardly but the running belt 653 serves to counteract the gravitational forces tending to pull it downwardly and thus substantially balances it at all points in its vertical range of movement.

The nozzle 612 is supported by the levers 654 hinged at 655-to the casing member 666.

As here shown, the motor casing 610 is mounted on the carriage which is supported on the wheels 615 and 616. The only weight, therefore, carried by the nozzle 612 is the brush.

The construction of Figs. 15 and 16 In this form of device, the motor casing 710 is also mounted on the carriage which is supported on the wheels 715 and 716. The nozzle 712, therefore, does not have so much weight. Substantially the only weight carried by the nozzle 712 is the brush 713 inside the chamber 750 which extends rearwardly and is provided with an upward cylindrical extension 751 forming a telescopic connection with the fan chamber 711.

The nozzle is pivotally attached to the carriage by the rearwardly extending levers 752 pivoted at 753. 754indicates a depending post from the casing carrying a spring 755 which presses upwardly against a seat 766 carried between the levers 752.

By means of this construction, the nozzle 712 is free to move upwardly and downwardly and the spring 755 has such characteristics that it substantially counteracts the gravitational forces tending to pull the nozzle downwardly and thus substantially balances the nozzle at all points I in its vertical range of movement.

While I have shown and'described certain embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that it iscapable of many modifications. Changes, therefore, in the construction and arrangement may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as disclosed in the appended claims, in which it is my intention to claim all novelty inherent in my invention as broadly as permissible, in view of the prior art.

What I regard as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A suction cleaner, including: a carriage; a nozzle supported by and movable up and down with respect to the carriage; and means acting substantially uniformly to substantially balance the forces of gravity acting on the nozzle throughout its range of movement, said means permitting the nozzle to be drawn down against the surface undergoingcleaning, under the infiuence of suction.

2. A suction cleaner, including; a carriage; a nozzle supported by and movable up and down with respect to the carriage; and means for substantially counterbalancing the forces of gravity acting on the nozzle throughout its range of movement.

3. A device as claimed in claim 1, in which the nozzle is hingedly connected to the carriage.

4. A device-as claimed in claim 2, in which the nozzle is hingedly connected to the carriage.

5. A device as claimed in claim 1, in which the means acting to substantially balance the forces of gravity includes a spring.

- 6. A device as claimed in claim 2, in which the counterbalancing means includes a spring.

7 A device as claimed in claim 1, in which the EDWARD w. WIEHLE. 

